Plate feeder



May s, 192s.

c. w. PHILLIPS PLATE FEEDER 2 Sheets-Shee` l Filed Aug. 9, 1924 Wa' ////////ggg Patented May 8, 1928.

CHARLES W. PHILLIPS, OFNEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA. y

`. PLATE FEEDER.

, ,Application ledfAugust 9, 19584: Serial No.731,1270. i

This invention relates to, automatic plate vfeeders for tinning machines Vand the like,

such as shown and described in jUnited States .Letters Patent N o. 1,448,711, granted to Elmer C. Pool March 18, 1923, ,andpmore particularly to an improved form of Vmagnetic separatorfor use with such feeders The object ofthe present invention is to so form the poles :of the magnetic separator 1U that they will have a plurality of knife edge contacting surfaces, thereby increasing their holding effect. y Y

.f Another object is to provide the poles Lof the separator witha step-like formation at l5 their forward ends, so that plates engaging said poles when beingfed past the separator will be shocked or bumped, thereby aiding in their separation.

A further object is yto provide a separator 2U having the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation through a Pool plate feeder such as shown anddescribed in his United States Patent No. 1,448,711,'dated March 13, 1923, and showing my improved magnetic separator in position.

Figure 2 is a plan of the magnetic separater.

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof.

`Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the supporting frame for the feeding` mechanism. The feeding mechanism shown and described in detail in the Pool patent referred to above and, therefore, will only be described generally in this applicatie v Suitable cross beams 3 and 4 are arranged to extend from one end of the supporting frame 2 to the other above the pile of plates A to be fed, which in the present embodiment are piled in the bosh 5 of a tin pot, and said beams support suitable curved guide strips 6 and 7 arranged to form an' upwardly and inwardly inclined passageway to guide theplates being conveyed.

A second pair of cross beams 8 and y9 are arranged forward of and above the cross beams 3 and 4, and carry other guide strips 10 and 11 forming a second passageway adapted to receive the plates from the Vpassageway between the strips 6 and 7, and direct them forwardly `and upwardly'between suitable .pinch rollers i be `of any well known construction.

Mounted on the rear edgek of the supporting frame 2 are suitable brackets l4which Support a shaft `16l having arms 17 loosely mounted 'thereon and vdepending therefrom( A suitable magnetic feeder roll 18 is joui naled in the lower ends of the arms 17 and is adapted to engage and feed theplates A one ataV time from the pile upward through the guideways into' the'bite'of the pinch rollers 12 and 13. The roller 18 is adapted to be rotated by means shown and described in the Pool patent referred to in the forepart of this specification. s

' A `magnetic separator.- X is mounted above the magnetic plate lifter or feeding roll and comprises a permanent ymagnet member 2O which is provided adjacent each end with ay hinged arm 21 hingedly secured to a rod 22, which in turn is secured in brackets 23 on the beam 4.

The magnet 20 is also provided adjacent its opposite ends with pole members 24 composed of a plurality of plates secured one on top of the other and to the magnet. Each plate composing the poles 24 is shorter than the one immediately above it and their rear ends are arranged in line, so that their for- 12 and 13 which may ward ends providev a step formation, or a plurality of sharper knife edge contacting surfaces 25. The poles 24 extend into the path of the lifted plates passing between the guide strips 6 and 7 and contactgwith the rear faces of such plates. That is, the plates will engage with the pole pieces 24 of the magnetic'separator X and rock said separat-or about the rod 22 until the plates can ride past saidpoles. If for any reason two or more plates should stick together and be fed up between the guide strips 6 and 7 by the feed roller 18, such extra plates will be jarred loose, due to the shocks or bumps caused by ridingpast the stepped forward ends of the magnet poles 24, and as the plates ride past the poles 24 the knife-like edges formed by the edges of the several Y therefore will not materially retard the movement of the plates, yet is of sufficient strength that if two plates should stick or in some manner be lifted together it will retard the movement of the second plate, and thus separate them.

By providing the plate engaging ends of the poles 24 in step-like form lthe pla-tes are not only jarred as they ride past the irregular surface thus formed, but the successive edges of the pole plates provide knife edge contacting surfaces which concentrate the forces of magnetism so as to more tightly grip the plate with which they Contact.

While I have shown and described only one specific form of my invention, it will be expressly understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope'of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In an automatic plate feeder for feeding single plates from a pile on facewise engagement, one with the other, comprising feed rollers, a. plurality of guideways for guiding the plates to said rollers, magnetic means for feeding said plates from the pile through said "guideways and into the bite of said feed rollers, a. combined mechanical and magnetic separating member hingedly sup ported on the feeder frame and extending into the path of the plate as it is moved through said guideways and adapted to yieldably engage the rear face of said plate, said separating member having a magnetic force of less strength than said feeding means andv comprisingaV permanent magnet, and pole members carried at the opposite ends of said magnet, said pole members being composed of a plurality of plates secured, one on top of the other, and to the magnet, each of said plates being shorter than the plate immediately above it and-said plates being arranged with their rear ends in substantial alinement so that their forward ends provide a step formation, said step-like forward ends of said poles being adapted to engage the rear faces of the plates being fed upward through said guides, and said step-like forward ends of said poles being adapted to successively engage or strike the upper ends of any platesin excess of a single platewhich adhere to the rear side of the plate being fed upwardly by said magnetic feeding means, whereby said excess plates will be jarred loose and held back by the magnetic force of said separator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES W. PHILLIPS. 

